The Flames changed management, traded a few key pieces and reshuffled some of their scouting staff over the last calender year or so. Even with all that, the Flames are in pretty much the same position they were last year at this time. The club's hopes for the playoffs are already extremely slim and it's unlikely we'll see them pull off another two month miracle run like they did post-Christmas last season.

The Calgary Flames may have earned just two of a possible eight points on this road trip, but they finished it off with a victory in solid fashion, taking a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on an early Sunday evening. Chasing starting goalie Niklas Backstrom along the way, the Flames caught some good fortune in the goal department but were full marks for the win, regardless of how pucks went in.